


Bad Luck and a Broken Clock (Extra Scenes)

by ZaccRiseC3P



Series: Hard to Find, Hard to Keep, Hard to Forget [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Love Confession, M/M, Ozqrow Week, Ozqrow Week 2020, cloqwork, extra scenes, ozqrow - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27334237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaccRiseC3P/pseuds/ZaccRiseC3P
Summary: A few extra, generally unimportant scenes from my fic "Bad Luck and a Broken Clock."  Most of these scenes were created using prompts from Ozqrow Week 2020.  Essentially a collection of one-shots set in a canon divergent AU.  More details for each scene given in chapter summaries.  That is all :)
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Ozpin
Series: Hard to Find, Hard to Keep, Hard to Forget [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872730
Comments: 13
Kudos: 30





	1. A Blessing and a Curse

**Author's Note:**

> All of these scenes were super fun to write! I do consider them "canon" in the Hard to Find, Hard to Keep, Hard to Forget series. I hope you enjoy the extra ideas that were stuck in my brain for a while. If you enjoy these scenes, please check out the original story! It is completed, you can find it on my profile or through the series link!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Ozqrow Week Day 1: Magic**  
>  The real reason Oz used his magic to give Qrow the power to turn into a bird.
> 
>  _In the timeline..._  
>  This scene takes place a few months after STRQ graduated, before Yang was born.

“Why the hell am I here?” Qrow grunted as he took a seat across from the esteemed headmaster of Beacon.

“Simple,” Oz answered, his hands clasped in front of him, his elbows resting on his desk. “I have a… proposal of sorts… for you.”

Qrow laughed, “What, are you gonna ask me out?”

“Not that sort of proposal,” Oz clarified with an amused smile.

“Ok… what is it?”

“I know about your semblance.”

“That's not so much a proposal as it is a cruel reminder.”

Oz hesitated, “What I mean is I know what your semblance does and I know how difficult it is for you.”

“Ok…”

“My proposal is this: how would you feel about having a 'second semblance' of sorts?”

“I would _feel_ like you're out of your damn mind,” Qrow scoffed. “There's no such thing as having a ‘second semblance.’ You of all people should know that. After all, you have been on this planet longer than anyone. Well, almost anyone.”

The professional huntsman casually leaned back in his chair, reaching for the flask in his breast pocket as he finished speaking.

“Funny you should mention that,” Oz said. “You see, it wouldn't be an actual semblance. That was simply the best way I could think to describe it. What I'm really asking is: how would you feel about me giving you a small amount of magic?”

“You want to give me your magic?”

Qrow put his drink away and leaned forward in his seat again. His interest had been piqued.

“Not all of it,” Oz asserted. “Just enough to give you… an alternate form.”

“Uh huh, sure… and what would this 'alternate form' look like exactly?”

“Well… I had an idea or two,” Oz admitted. “But ultimately I was going to leave that decision up to you.”

“Alright, let's hear'em.”

“Hear what?”

“Your ideas,” Qrow reiterated, waving his hand to encourage Oz to go on. “What did you have in mind, great wizard?”

Oz sighed, “How many times have I told you not to call me that?”

“Enough times for me to decide that I'm absolutely gonna keep calling you that.” The devious grin on Qrow’s face told Oz that the huntsman was not going to be persuaded to stop easily. In the interest of time, the headmaster ignored Qrow’s blatant disrespect. 

Oz continued, “As I was saying, the form can't be too complicated. My magic is slowly dwindling, as you are aware, but I can spare a drop. For a friend.”

Qrow’s gaze darted to the floor as he cleared his throat. He refused to meet Oz’s eyes as he said, “Sure, but you still haven’t told me what you’re turning me into.”

“Well I- um, I was thinking a small animal.”

“Uh huh,” Qrow nodded, his line of sight meeting Oz’s again as he waited for details.

Oz went on, “Something that would allow you to hide in plain sight, gather information without being spotted, fly to your destinations with ease-”

“Fly?”

Oz didn’t answer. Instead, he only raised an eyebrow- a silent “yes, you heard me.”

Qrow’s furrowed brow relaxed as he put the pieces together. “You’re joking, right?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“That’s really fucking original, Oz,” Qrow grunted as he leaned back in his seat once again, his arms folded in annoyance.

“As I said, the form is ultimately up to you. Would you like it to be something else?”

The sound of gears clicking and turning filled the room as Qrow thought of an adequate answer. Nothing. He couldn’t think of a better alternative.

“Well?” Oz prompted.

Throwing his hands up, Qrow gave in, “Fuck it, fine. Might as well lean into it.”

“Excellent,” Oz agreed as he stood up.

Qrow followed the headmaster’s lead before a thought popped into his head. “Wait,” Qrow hesitated, “this isn’t gonna turn into some tragic tale about how I’m stuck as a bird until someone comes along and kisses me or something, is it?”

“No,” Oz laughed, amused by the idea. “I promise you’ll have complete control over the power. You’ll be able to transform at will with no limit on how long or how often you use it.”

“So what’s the catch?”

“There is no catch. I simply want to give you a power you don’t have to be afraid of. Something you can control rather than cope with.”

“Can your magic remove a semblance, by any chance?” Qrow hoped.

“Trust me, Qrow. If I could lift your curse I would have done it ages ago,” Oz promised.

A solemn nod was the only answer. Qrow assumed it was worth asking.

“Are you ready?” Oz checked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Oz maneuvered around his desk before gently laying a hand on Qrow’s chest. For a moment, he looked into Qrow’s pale red eyes. There was a hint of reservation in his gaze. Oz offered a reassuring smile and conjured what little magic he could. A glowing ball of green magic suddenly emanated from his hand, engulfing Qrow all at once and suddenly, the man was gone- a little black crow took his place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! I will be updating this fic once a day for the next five or so days, so stay tuned!


	2. Amended Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Ozqrow Week Day 2: Repaired Hearts**  
>  Oz and Qrow have a fight after Oz works through an important dinner date. Will he be able to make it up to Qrow?
> 
>  _In the timeline..._  
>  Two years into their relationship, Yang is 13 and Ruby is 11 (I use their ages as a frame of reference for the year XD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real quick, I wanna give a shout out to [Lady_Peace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Peace/works) ([@theladypeace](https://theladypeace.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr) for inspiring me to write this one! They came up with an adorable headcanon for Oz and Qrow's favorite date and I (with permission, of course) used it to write this chapter! Thank you for the inspiration! I hope you like it :)

“How the fuck did you forget?”

Qrow’s voice was dripping with contempt Oz was not prepared to hear.

“I’m sorry, Qrow,” Oz sighed, his tone quiet and subdued. “It must have slipped my mind.”

“Slipped your mind?” Qrow spat. “So instead you just decided not to come home?”

“I simply got caught up while-”

“Save it. I’m not in the mood to hear another one of your ‘my job comes first’ speeches.”

The couple stood in the kitchen in silence, neither man daring to move. The conversation hung in the air like thick fog on a musty fall morning. Ever present, impossible to disperse, it was a fog that wouldn’t be lifted until they addressed the real reason Qrow was upset. Oz worked late nights on a regular basis. There was something else to this story.

“I don’t understand,” Oz admitted. “What made last night any different?”

“You’re kidding, right?” the huntsman scoffed. “You stood me up, Oz! _On_ our two year anniversary! Did you expect me to celebrate by myself?”

Oz was taken aback. “I- I was under the impression that this milestone didn’t mean that much to you…”

“Well it did. But I guess it meant nothing to you.” Qrow turned away and headed towards their shared bedroom. 

“Qrow, please, I-”

“No, I’m done. Have a good day at work, _Professor_.” The door slammed. A pain swelled in Oz’s chest- a pain he knew all too well. He could feel his heart start to break, cracks starting to form. He needed to make it right.

Oz gently knocked on the bedroom door.

“Qrow, please, open the door.”

No answer.

“I…”

Oz’s voice died as he realized he didn’t know what to say. What could he do? There was no way for him to turn back time. For a moment, he considered calling out for the day. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his scroll, ready to call Glynda and tell her that he was taking his first day off in almost half a year. His finger froze over the “call” button as a realization hit him. That wasn’t an option. Oz had promised Dr. Oobleck that he would cover his morning classes for the day. Getting someone else to cover at this hour would be almost impossible. The headmaster was already dangerously close to being late himself. How could he expect someone else to make it on such short notice?

_Fuck._

Oz sighed, “Please, I don’t want to leave like this.”

The deafening silence caused the pain to grow.

“I’m sorry,” Oz pleaded, his voice getting weaker. “I didn’t realize how much this meant to you.”

The fissures in his heart slowly spread as the silence stretched on.

“I promise I’ll be home on time tonight.”

Nothing.

“Qrow?”

Tears welled in the headmaster’s eyes, his neck began to throb as he trapped his sobs in his throat. He only had one more card to play.

“I love you.”

The phrase dissipated with no response. Not even an acknowledging “yeah” or a grunt. 

As Oz walked away his heart finally gave out, shattering like glass. He made a mistake he couldn’t take back.

_I’ll add it to the list._

~~~~~~~~~~

It was no use. No matter what Oz did, his mind kept slipping back to the events of the morning. The simplest tasks left undone or incomplete as Oz wracked his brain to figure out why this time had been so different.

_But I guess it meant nothing to you._

Qrow’s words were etched into Oz’s mind like an engraving on a tombstone. A haunting reminder of something he could never change. But he just didn’t understand. After all, this wasn’t the first time Oz skipped an important date to get some work done. Usually Qrow wasn’t thrilled about it, but he never reacted this viscerally. So what was different this time?

Oz’s haziness and inability to focus did not escape the headmistress's eye. As soon as Glynda saw Oz sitting at his desk with his head leaning on his hand, she knew something was wrong. She didn’t hesitate to ask him directly what was on his mind. It was his conversation with Glynda that offered some perspective. Very bluntly, as Glynda is known to speak, she pointed out that Qrow was never very good at commitment. 

“Two years is probably the longest he’s ever been with someone,” Glynda shrugged.

In that moment, Oz knew exactly what he had done wrong. Glynda was one hundred percent correct. Qrow and Oz had discussed their dating history before several times, although there wasn’t much to discuss. Oz always swore off romantic relationships for fear of getting close to people only to lose them, and Qrow’s history was more of a long list of one night stands. The details weren’t worth getting into, but Oz recently learned that Qrow was in one long term relationship that did not end well, and that relationship only lasted one year. As of yesterday, Qrow and Oz had been together for two. 

Normally, Qrow didn’t put much weight behind anniversaries, but this one was different. For him, this one was _worth_ celebrating. And Oz left him alone, choosing instead to work through most of the night. A choice Oz now regretted more than ever.

~~~~~~~~~~

As promised, Oz left work as soon as the day ended. He raced home, prepared to walk in the door and apologize for not making time to celebrate something that meant so much to his partner. When the front door closed behind him, he was met with the sight of a pile of pillow and blankets thrown on the couch in the living room. The thought of his apology faded away for a moment as he looked around. Qrow was nowhere to be seen. Oz had a question or two before he could focus on making amends.

“Qrow?” Oz called out. “What is all this?”

Suddenly, Qrow appeared in the open doorway of their bedroom, his eyes glued to the floor, his head lowered. “It’s an apology. For overreacting.” Qrow was wearing a pair of pajamas Oz had bought him ages ago. Red pants covered with black feather designs and a plain black shirt. In his hands, he held a set of green and white pjs to match. The sight brought a smile to Oz’s face, even if he didn’t fully understand the purpose.

“Qrow, you don’t have to. After all, I’m the one who should be apologizing,” Oz responded quickly “You had every right to be angry with me and I didn’t-”

“You didn’t know.”

Oz was taken aback, his brow furrowed as he was stunned into silence.

“Something you said this morning, it kept ringing in my head like an alarm that wouldn’t shut up.”

Oz hesitated, “And what was that…?”

Qrow slowly approached his partner as he explained, “You said you didn’t think this milestone meant anything to me. And that pissed me off at first, I’m not gonna lie. I’m sure you figured that out by the way I ignored you ‘til you left…” The huntsman took a deep breath as he met his partner where he stood near the front door. “But the more I thought about it the more I realized why you would think that. Really, how could you not? I never cared about specific dates or anniversaries or celebrations. Hell, I don’t even like to acknowledge my own birthday.” Qrow let out a small laugh at his own quirk. “And you knew that. You knew me well enough to assume that things like this didn’t matter to me, because normally they don’t. This time was different, and, I don’t know, I guess I expected you to read my mind or something, so… I’m sorry, Oz.”

There was a pause before Oz found the words. “And here I thought I was racing home to _deliver_ a heart-felt apology.”

Qrow shrugged, “Gotta keep you on your toes somehow.”

“Thank you, Qrow,” Oz said, caressing his partner’s cheek. “I truly am sorry for last night.”

“Maybe we can call it even.”

Oz nodded before pulling Qrow in for a hug. He braced the back of Qrow’s neck and held him close, unable to stop a flood of thoughts about how differently this conversation could have gone. What if Qrow had decided that enough was enough? That he didn’t want to be waiting every night for his partner to finally look at the clock and realize that hours had passed since his estimated time of arrival? What if Qrow had simply walked away? Oz couldn’t stand the thought. He kissed Qrow on the cheek before squeezing him a little harder. When he caught another glimpse of the pile of bedding sitting on the couch, a laugh escaped the headmaster’s lips. His curiosity got the best of him.

“While I am glad we could sort this out, I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask,” Oz released his hold on Qrow and asked, “how is the mess in the living room an apology?”

“Oh…” Qrow sighed, like he realized he never fully explained his plan. “It was supposed to be a make-up date…”

The huntsman held out the green pajamas in his hands like a peace offering. “I, uh, was thinking a lot about you today and I remembered something else you said, a little while ago,” Qrow elaborated. “Something about not really having a childhood because of the whole ‘reincarnation’ thing. And, well, my childhood wasn’t exactly a walk in the park either, so… I thought we could have a sleepover of our own tonight.”

Oz froze, his mouth hanging open as he struggled to react. It was probably the most thoughtful date Qrow ever planned, and he didn’t know how to fully express how much it meant to him.

Qrow hesitated, “Which, now that I say it out loud… sounds like a stupid idea.”

“No, no, Qrow, I love it, I just- I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Although a ‘thank you’ would be nice, you know.”

“Thank you, Qrow,” Oz laughed. “Truly, I am so lucky to have you.”

Oz draped his arms around Qrow’s neck.

“Ok, no need to throw the L-word around like that.”

“I respectfully disagree,” Oz said as he leaned in. He softly kissed his partner on the lips, smiling as he pulled away.

“Of course you do,” Qrow answered.

They both smiled into another kiss, their lips melting together if only for a second. When they pulled away, Qrow lifted the sleepwear in his hands and told his partner to change. A few minutes later Oz emerged wearing a pair of dark green pants with white gears adorning them and a white long-sleeve shirt. As he stepped out of the bedroom, he was met with the sight of Qrow struggling to find the short end of a blanket. 

“What on Remnant are you doing?” Oz asked through a laugh.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Qrow grunted. “I’m trying to build a pillow fort! That’s something kids do at sleepovers, right?”

“Dear gods, you are hopeless.”

“I don’t see you doing it!”

“Perhaps if we put our heads together we can figure out how to create something most five year olds know how to make.”

Qrow gave up and dropped the still crumpled blanket onto the floor. “At this rate, it’s a solid ‘maybe.’”

Another laugh rose from Oz’s lungs as he stepped in to offer his partner a hand. Eventually, the pair managed to put together a small tent-like structure with two cushions for walls and a blanket canopy. Oz crawled in first, laughing as he tried to get comfortable in the pile of pillows they used as seat cushions. Qrow hesitantly followed, lying down next to Oz as he grumbled, “If it collapses on us I’m blaming you.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

Oz grabbed a blanket that was bunched up at their feet and opened it, spreading it across both of them before motioning for Qrow to cuddle closer. Qrow took a moment to pull up a movie on his scroll and hand the device to Oz before obliging, resting his head on Oz’s shoulder and wrapping an arm around his waist. Gently, Oz rubbed Qrow’s back as he prepared to press “play.” Before Oz could start the movie, Qrow popped his head up to say one last thing.

“Hey, Oz?”

“Hm?”

A quick kiss on the lips caught Oz by surprise.

“I love you, too,” was all Qrow added.

 _“Too”?_ Oz wondered. Where did that come from? He hadn’t told Qrow he loved him since…

Suddenly, it clicked. “I love you” was the last thing Oz said that morning before leaving with no response. This was Qrow finally responding. Those four words were the pieces that were missing from Oz’s shattered heart. He squeezed Qrow tight before placing a kiss on his forehead. Just like that, his broken heart was repaired.


	3. Sunshine After Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Ozqrow Week Day 3: Daylight**  
>  Oz wakes up from a particularly gruesome nightmare. Qrow does his best to calm Oz when he awakes.
> 
> _In the timeline..._  
>  Honestly? Never thought about it. This sort of thing is a regular occurrence for Oz so... yeah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used the prompt for this day very loosely. Regardless, I hope you enjoy XD

Another night, another dreamless sleep. As soon as Qrow’s eyes fluttered open he reached for his scroll which was sitting on the nightstand. He flicked it on and checked the time.

4:00am.

_Great_ , he thought, _not even a reasonable enough hour to wake up._

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. The huntsman put his scroll down and rolled over, a smile threatening to break through as he came face to face with his sleeping partner. Oz was curled up, resting on his side, a sense of peace and comfort emanating from him. It took everything Qrow had not to reach out and caress Oz’s face or cuddle close to him. His partner had a tendency to have visceral reactions when he woke up to sudden and unexpected touch- a lesson Qrow had to learn the hard way. Suddenly, Oz’s hand twitched, and the peace Qrow felt shattered. Desperate to let Oz get some rest, Qrow hoped it didn’t mean anything. Another twitch, this time more intense.

_Ok, that probably meant something._

“No, please, don’t,” Oz whispered, his voice strained.

A cry for help. Qrow had to take the risk. He gently shook Oz’s shoulder and insisted, “Oz, wake up.”

The immortal’s eyes were squeezed shut so hard Qrow was getting a sympathy headache.

“Don’t hurt them!” Oz pleaded.

Another, slightly more urgent, shake of Oz’s shoulder, “Oz! Come on, wake up!”

Qrow quickly retracted his hand before Oz shot into an upright position and let out a huge gasp. Slowly, Qrow sat up, gently placing a hand on Oz’s shoulder. “Are you ok?”

At first there was no answer. Oz put his head in his hands and rubbed his face. It was the only way he could convince himself he was awake. The only way he could convince himself he was _alive_.

“I- I don’t know,” Oz croaked. “I… think so.”

_Not a very reassuring answer._

The headmaster spun to the edge of the bed and put both feet on the floor. Qrow waited with baited breath. Sometimes the nightmares were so bad Oz would give up on sleep and get out of bed, starting his day no matter what time it was. Although sometimes Oz would just take a second to sit on the edge of the bed and reorient himself. It was impossible to know which option Oz would stick to this time. Qrow wasn’t keen to let Oz figure it out himself. He shifted his position and sat next to his partner, a hand now gently rubbing Oz’s back. Time dragged on. Qrow wasn’t sure if they sat in the same position for one minute or ten. Finally, he quietly prompted, “Let’s go back to bed.”

Oz flinched and turned away. He couldn’t even think about sleeping again.

Qrow wondered, “It was that bad, huh?”

Without opening his eyes, Oz simply nodded in agreement.

“Was it- you know- her?”

After a moment, Oz opened his eyes and choked, “Sh- She kill-”

Tears dripped down Oz’s face as the words died on his lips. The headmaster leaned into Qrow’s chest, prompting Qrow to cradle him as he continued to rub Oz’s back. As Oz sobbed, all Qrow could do was hold him and whisper, “shhhh, it was just a dream,” over and over.

The crying was Qrow's least favorite part. It only served as a cruel reminder that his partner was suffering. He just wanted Oz to be ok. He just wanted Oz’s suffering to disappear. In the end, there’s nothing he can do but hold him. 

After a while, Oz’s cries softened, so Qrow attempted to move to a more comfortable position.

“It’s okay,” he assured. “Here, lie down.” Qrow released his hold on Oz and slid back so he was lying down again. He offered an outstretched hand, inviting Oz to cuddle with him.

The headmaster kept his eyes glued to the floor. “No. I- I don’t think I can.”

“Oz, please, don’t do this,” Qrow begged. “You need to rest.”

Oz looked back at his partner, a simple plea written all over his face: “please don’t make me go back to sleep.”

“Fine. Then I’ll stay up with you. Come here,” Qrow decided, waving his outstretched hand in urgency.

“Qrow, you don’t have to.”

“I sleep when you do,” Qrow insisted. “Ready whenever you are.”

“I told you-”

“You can’t sleep, I know. Which means I’m not sleeping either. Come on, Oz, keep up.”

A smile played at Oz’s lips as he slid over and accepted Qrow’s offer of cuddles, his cheek now resting on his partner’s chest, his arm wrapped around Qrow’s waist.

“You are insufferable at times.”

“Thanks. It’s my specialty,” Qrow answered as he squeezed Oz tight.

A small laugh escaped Oz’s lips. Qrow smiled to himself as he ran his fingers through Oz’s hair. The feeling of the soft, white hair brushing between his fingers reminded Qrow that sometimes he didn’t need to say anything. Sometimes it was okay to just _be_ with Oz, even if he couldn’t solve all of his problems. Qrow might not be the best at offering advice or encouraging words, but what he could do was hold Oz and keep him safe. Most of the time, simply being there was enough. What other choice did he have? It wasn’t like there was anything he could say that would make Oz feel safe in his own head.

“Qrow?”

The sound of Oz’s voice almost made Qrow jump.

“Hm?”

“Please talk to me.”

“A- about what?”

“Anything, really.” Oz lifted his head, looking Qrow in the eyes to explain, “The silence is quite literally killing me.”

“Ok, I guess- I don’t know what to… uh…”

Oz settled back into his resting position as he suggested, “Tell me about Signal, about Ruby and Yang…”

“Oh, I- Gods, where do I begin with those two?” Qrow laughed. “Well, Yang is doing great- no surprise there.”

Oz hummed in agreement.

“Ruby on the other hand is, uh…”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“Well, she’s having some trouble with the basics, but I think she’ll be alright. The kid is determined, Oz.”

“Just like someone else I know.”

Suddenly, the floodgates were opened. Qrow continued to talk all night, like that one question was the only prompt he needed. He told Oz a bunch of his favorite teaching stories, including descriptions of his favorite and least favorite students (well, the ones who aren’t related to him, anyway). The only way Qrow knew Oz was awake was when he would chime in every now and then with a sarcastic comment or claiming to know some of the students’ families. 

On several occasions, Qrow was thoroughly convinced Oz was asleep. To test his theory, he would go silent and wait. Every time, after a moment’s hesitation, Oz would whisper “Why did you stop?” And every time, Qrow would kiss the top of Oz’s head before continuing where he left off. Until, finally, after hours of conversation, through a yawn, Oz said, “Thank you, Qrow, I think I’m ready to…”  
Oz’s voice faded out. The headmaster was so exhausted from staying up he fell asleep mid-sentence.

“You’re welcome, Oz,” Qrow answered before placing one more kiss on the top of Oz’s head.

Before he closed his eyes, Qrow glimpsed the first beams of morning light pouring in through the window. The sun may have been shining, but Qrow was finally ready to drift off to sleep.


	4. The Crow No One Sees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Ozqrow Week Day 4: Love Confession**  
>  Oz slips up and admits something he's not sure Qrow is ready to hear.
> 
>  _In the timeline..._  
>  A little over a year into their relationship, Yang is 12 and Ruby is 10!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A _super_ short update today. Just a warning, lol. That is all XD

Oz sat at his desk, some last minute work for the day piled in front of him- work that he would’ve finished ages ago if he could just fucking _focus_. It was simply so hard for him to think about anything else with Qrow sitting a few feet in front of him, that proud smirk plastered on his face as he bragged about the progress Yang had made in her training at only twelve years old; she wasn’t even at Signal yet and already she was “learning to kick ass.”

The pride in Qrow’s voice, the way he talked with his hands when excitement overwhelmed him, the light that sparked in his eyes at the simplest question about fighting techniques, the hefty laugh he let out whenever he remembered something funny his nieces did, it was all too much. Every detail of Qrow’s mannerisms completely engrossed Oz, the scroll in his hands forgotten for minutes at a time as he admired the passion with which the huntsman went on and on and on. The bitter loner persona that Qrow was known for effortlessly melted away as soon as they were alone. Maybe that was why Glynda thought Oz deserved better- she didn’t know the real Qrow.

_He certainly has everyone fooled._

Those around him believe that Qrow is just a drunk, arrogant, loud mouth. And he is. Oz wouldn’t dare try to deny that. But, that was just the part of Qrow he allowed the world to see. Oz, on the other hand, had the whole picture. The real Qrow could be arrogant and loud at times. He also never shied away from a drink. However, the real Qrow was also thoughtful, gentle, and resilient. He put others before himself and he never backed down from a fight. That was the Qrow Oz fell in love with. The Qrow Oz knew he loved for quite a while, but refused to tell how he felt. With no way to know how Qrow would react, Oz couldn’t take the risk. And yet, as he sat at his desk, watching Qrow grow more enthusiastic as he reached his tenth minute of talking uninterrupted, Oz was thoroughly reminded of every single reason he felt that way.

Finally, Qrow’s story reached a decent stopping point. “Anyway, when I left yesterday the girls were hysterical. They didn’t want me to leave. Gods know why.”

“They wanted you to stay because they love you, Qrow,” Oz answered nonchalantly.

“That’s a good one, Oz,” Qrow laughed.

Oz sighed, “Darling, please, if it was feasible they would spend every possible second with you and their father. _They love you._ ”

“I’ll never understand why.”

“Well, I understand, because they love you for the same reasons I do.”

 _Oh no_ , Oz thought. His eyes went wide, every part of him froze as he waited for Qrow’s response. 

“They- you what?” Qrow stared at him, dumbfounded.

“I- No. I’m sorry,” Oz stuttered. “Perhaps I misspoke, I was only trying to-”

“Misspoke?” Qrow’s confused expression fell, morphing into a pained one as he questioned, “What? So you didn’t mean it?”

“Of course I meant it, I just…”

“You just what?”

“I just…” Oz answered through a heavy sigh, “wasn’t sure if you were ready to hear it.”

Qrow’s eyes softened and a smile started playing at his lips. The huntsman stayed silent, allowing Oz to elaborate.

“We’ve already discussed how hard it is for you to make attachments. But it’s true. I love you, Qrow. And… I don’t know. I suppose I was worried that something like this could scare you off…”

“It won’t,” Qrow promised, standing up as he spoke. “Not in this case, at least.”

The huntsman leaned over the headmaster’s desk while Oz wondered, “Why not ‘in this case’?”

Instead of answering the question, Qrow gently lifted Oz’s chin with his index finger before pressing their lips together. A small hum escaped Oz’s mouth as he closed his eyes, enjoying the method with which Qrow chose to assure him that his worry was unnecessary. 

After he broke the kiss, Qrow finally answered, “Because this is the first time I feel confident saying ‘I love you, too.’”


	5. Who's the Real Winner Here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Ozqrow Week Day 7: Free Day!**  
>  Qrow and Ruby get over competitive while playing videogames together. Oz and Weiss find a way to make it interesting.
> 
> _In the timeline..._  
>  After the battle of Beacon, before Oz and Qrow's wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was very proud of this chapter. It's my favorite of the Ozqrow Week prompts. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do XD

“Sure, Rosebud, I'll play with you,” Qrow smirked. “Just promise me you won't cry when I win.”

“I'm sorry, _Rosebud_?????” Weiss repeated indignantly, her attention ripped away from her scroll screen at the mention of her girlfriend’s childhood nickname.

“You are _not_ allowed to start calling me that!” Ruby insisted.

“Too late, Rosebud, now that I've heard it there's no going back.”

“Wait, no!” Ruby objected. “Only Uncle Qrow can call me that!”

Qrow interjected, “I give you honorary permission to call Ruby any nickname I give her, Weiss.”

“I guess that settles that,” the heiress decided, crossing her arms.

“I think I liked it better when you two didn't get along.”

“So waddya say, kiddo?” Qrow asked. “Best two out of three?”

“You're on!”

**Round One**

_And so it begins,_ Oz laughed to himself. 

Oz had grown very fond of these weekly visits to the Xiao-Long Rose household. Of course, it wasn’t like Ruby, Yang, and Tai needed the company. The family of three had a full house now that Weiss and Blake were staying with them for the year while Beacon underwent some much needed repairs. Regardless, the visits offered Oz a nice break from work and a chance to see his nieces. That was enough.

Now, Oz sat on the living room couch, Qrow’s head resting in his lap and a book in his hand as he listened to Ruby and Qrow go back and forth. Ruby and Weiss were on the opposite end of the couch, a mirror image of their uncles as Ruby became laser focused on beating her uncle in the fighting game on their scrolls. The girl’s eyes narrowed and she was biting down on her lower lip, hard. She winced every time her virtual avatar took a hit. One would have thought that the player was forced to feel what the avatar felt the way Ruby played. It was uncanny, really, how Ruby and Qrow held the exact same facial expressions throughout the entire game.

_Well, it’s no mystery where Ruby and Yang’s competitive nature comes from._

“Gotcha!” Qrow suddenly announced. “First round goes to me.”

“You got lucky that time!” Ruby claimed.

“Luck's got nothing to do with it, pipsqueak!”

_He can promise you that,_ Oz thought.

“Whatever,” Ruby huffed. “Next round!”

**Round Two**

Hypothetically, Oz was supposed to be reading the book in his hand, but the constant trash talk coming from his fiance and niece was extremely distracting. Being productive in his current environment was a pipe dream. The headmaster didn’t mind, though. He was just glad they were all together, safe and sound.

“Yes!” Ruby exclaimed, lifting her scroll above her head in triumph. “And that's how it's done. Suck it, Uncle Qrow!"

“Hey, I taught you that move! Don't think you can out smart the master.”

“Well maybe it's time for the student to take over.”

“Maybe in your dreams. Let's go, tie breaker round.”

**Round Three**

Even though he would never admit it, Oz was invested in the game now. Although the book remained open, Oz didn’t pretend to keep reading. Instead, he watched over his fiance’s shoulder as the intense competition started to heat up. Qrow’s health bar quickly deteriorated and Oz could feel his partner tense up with every virtual hit. The huntsman was legitimately losing and he was not taking it well.

“Oh, fuck,” Qrow grumbled.

Oz made a feeble attempt to calm his partner down by placing a reassuring hand on Qrow’s chest. For a moment, Oz felt the tension release in his fiance’s shoulders, but the tension returned as soon as Qrow’s health bar turned red. There was nothing Oz could do now.

Maybe he didn’t have to.

Unexpectedly, Ruby’s character started spazzing out, attacking the wrong way and jumping up and down sporadically. Oz looked over to see Weiss randomly tapping Ruby’s screen as the younger girl stretched her arms out to try to put the game out of her girlfriend’s reach- to no avail.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Qrow. I got ya covered!” Weiss promised.

“No fair!” Ruby insisted, her voice strained as she continued to play keep away with the heiress. “Weiss, knock it off!”

“What does this button do?”

“Almost… got it…” Qrow grunted. As Qrow’s voice faded, the words “Player 1 wins” flashed across his screen.

“Hell yeah! What a comeback!” Qrow exclaimed. “Thanks for the assist, Ice Princess.”

“It was my pleasure,” Weiss smirked, settling back into her seat now that the game was over.

“You can’t honestly count that!” The huntress-in-training shot up to a sitting position in protest. “You two _literally_ cheated! I demand a rematch!”

“A win’s a win, Rosebud,” Qrow shrugged. “But hey, I’ll give you a chance to come back. Best three out of five?”

“You are so on!” Ruby said, laying back down in preparation.

**Round Four**

Ruby made quick work of her uncle in the fourth round.

“Ha! Tied at two,” Ruby announced. “You’ll be calling me the comeback kid in no time!”

“Don’t get cocky, kiddo. We still got one round left.”

“You don’t scare me!”

“We’ll see about that.”

**Round Five**

By this point, Oz committed to putting his book down, his attention officially captured by his family’s antics. Clearly Weiss felt the same way since she hadn’t checked her phone since round three started. Admittedly, the final round ended up being the most interesting. The fighters’ health bars were neck and neck the whole match.

“Weiss, I swear if you cheat this time I’m breaking up with you,” Ruby promised as the competition rapidly reached a conclusion.

“I know you’re not joking so I promise I’ll behave.”

“Good!”

With the health bars matched at half, Qrow landed a devastating blow that sent Ruby’s avatar flying across the arena.

“Noooooooooo!” Ruby cried.

“I gotcha now! Say your prayers, pipsqueak.”

“Ahhhhhhh, I can’t lose. This can’t be _happening_!”

“Don’t worry, Ruby,” Oz encouraged. “I think I might be able to help.”

“You?” Qrow scoffed. “And what are you going to-?”

The huntsman was unable to finish his sentence as his fiance’s lips interlock with his, preventing him from speaking. Qrow’s thumbs stopped dancing on the scroll screen as Oz held onto Qrow’s lips with his. Only when a victory cry was heard did Oz finally pull back.

“Aaaaaaaaand… yes! I did it! Victory is mine!”

The stunned look on Qrow’s face was all the thanks Oz needed.

“You son of a _bitch_ ,” Qrow laughed in disbelief.

Ruby grabbed Weiss’ hand and popped off the couch as she called out, “Good game, Uncle Qrow, better luck next time!”

The couple reached the bottom of the stairs as Qrow called after them, “Hey, that wasn’t a fair fight and you know it!”

“A win’s a win, uncle!” Ruby teased, frozen on the first step. “No rematches!”

The pair of huntresses bolted upstairs as their uncle scoffed in disbelief. A muffled exchange could be heard from the top of the stairs.

“Why couldn’t you have distracted me like _that_???????”

“I don’t know. Your uncle’s just nicer than me. Deal with it.”

Finally, Qrow turned around to face his husband-to-be. The headmaster still wore a devilish smile on his face. The look of a man who regretted absolutely nothing.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” The smile on Qrow’s face betrayed the annoyed tone his question was coated in.

“Afraid not, darling.”

“I cannot believe you just did that. You will pay for this, you know.”

“Will I? And what will it cost me?”

“About this much.”

Qrow braced the back of Oz’s neck and pulled him in for another kiss- this time on his terms. There were no complaints from Oz. He laughed as their lips separated, “Then I will happily pay my debts.”

“In that case…”

As Oz felt Qrow’s lips rub against his one last time, he couldn’t help but come to a conclusion of his own.

_I think we all know who the real winner of this game is._


	6. I'll Always Come Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oz stays up a little too late, waiting for his favorite bird to return home.
> 
> (in case anyone needs it...)  
>  **Warning:** Oz does have the beginnings of a panic attack in this chapter. Nothing too serious, but just in case.
> 
> _In the timeline_  
>  Qrow's first long mission after they adopt Oscar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concept has been stuck in my head for literally weeks. I wrote the outline in like twenty minutes without pausing to think. I'm just glad I was able to write it down. Hope you like it :)

The house was quiet. Empty. Still. Despite the fact that his son was sleeping upstairs, Oz felt like he was completely alone. Half of the first floor was cloaked in darkness, the only source of light coming from the kitchen. Oz stood, leaning against the kitchen counter, his eyes glued to the front door, his hands frozen wrapped around the mug of hot chocolate he made himself. He hadn’t taken a single sip. It just sat there, it’s only purpose was to give him something warm and comforting to hold. Sleeping, eating, drinking, it was all out of the question. As soon as he caught a glimpse of the time, he couldn’t even think about taking care of himself.

Three o’clock in the morning, and still Qrow wasn’t home.

Slowly, Oz lifted his hands from the mug, holding them in front of him like he was waiting for them to shatter. The trembling was only getting worse, the tingling sensation in his jaw was starting to intensify, and the knot in his stomach just wouldn’t go away. A slow, shaky breath stumbled from his lips. Qrow should have been home an hour ago.

_Where is he?_ was the only thought Oz had. How much longer could he wait before he snapped?

In the nick of time, the front door creaked open, and Qrow walked in on cat’s feet. If Oz wasn’t staring at the door as Qrow entered, he wouldn’t even have noticed.  
The huntsman gently laid his weapon against the wall and turned around, flinching when he saw the figure leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Oz?” Qrow asked in a whisper. “What are you doing awake?”

Oz couldn’t offer an answer, too paralyzed with relief to even utter a ‘hello.’ Qrow made his way across the room and stood next to his husband, caressing his cheek as he added, “I told you not to wait up for me.”

“I know, but I-” Oz’s eyes couldn’t stay still, his pupils darting from side to side as if he was scanning Qrow’s face. Something was wrong.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Qrow promised. “I’m home. Is everything alright?”

A tear formed in the pit of Oz’s eye. The headmaster finally broke down, throwing his arms around Qrow’s neck as he cried, “It is now.”

“Oh, okay, easy now,” Qrow said, his voice steady and reassuring. He held the back of Oz’s head as he hugged him. Oz couldn’t hold in a sob, even as he held onto Qrow for dear life. 

“Shhhhhhhh, it’s okay,” Qrow repeated. The steadiness of his voice started to falter as Oz became more hysterical. “Did something happen while I was gone? Is Oscar okay?”

“Oscar’s fine, nothing went wrong, I just-” Oz interrupted himself with a sniffle. He couldn’t finish his sentence, only squeezed Qrow tighter.

_Pathetic,_ Oz chastised himself.

On the verge of a panic attack and he couldn’t bring himself to admit why. His stomach was already calm, his jaw unclenched and back to normal. And the only reason his symptoms were subsiding because Qrow was finally _home_. All it took for him to break down was Qrow being gone for a few extra days. And all it took for him to feel better was Qrow returning. 

Oz didn’t have to admit it, though. Qrow figured it out.

The huntsman’s tone returned to it’s smooth, reassuring melody as he repeated over and over, “I’m here, it’s okay.”

There was confidence in his voice, now, because he knew how to remedy Oz’s panicked state. The remedy was Qrow’s presence.

“That extra three days was too much, huh?” Qrow asked as he lightly rubbed his partner’s back.

Grabbing a handful of Qrow’s shirt, Oz choked out, “Yes, yes it was.”

Oz buried his face in Qrow’s shoulder, resting there as his breathing steadied.

“And here I thought I was coming home to a dark, quiet house.”

Oz laughed into Qrow’s shirt. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be this…” his voice faded out.

“This what?” Qrow wondered. “Hopelessly in love with me?”

As he lifted his head off his husband’s shoulder, Oz managed to say, “Please, don’t flatter yourself.”

He couldn’t stand the idea of giving Qrow the satisfaction of being right. Especially when he was wearing that shit-eating grin on his face. But he was right.

_Dear gods, he is absolutely right._

“I don’t have to,” Qrow chuckled. “You do it every time I’m gone for more than a week. Honestly, it’s kinda nice.”

Oz was almost too distracted by Qrow’s thumb brushing against his cheek to ask, “What’s nice?”

Qrow shrugged, “Being missed.”

“Oh, Qrow.”

Three little kisses followed Oz’s sigh of affection- one on the forehead, one on the cheek, and one on the lips. Before he continued, Oz pressed his forehead against Qrow’s.

“I miss you no matter how long you’re gone,” he whispered.

Oz kept his head down. A tear fell from his eye, right to the floor, as he blinked it away. Finally, he croaked, “My worst fear is that you’ll leave and never come back…”

“Hey, there’s no need to think like that,” Qrow insisted as he pulled away. Oz refused to look up, even as he felt Qrow’s hand lightly cup his cheek again. “I’m here, I’m back, unharmed and unphased. It’s like I told you before I left.”

The headmaster conceded, lifting his head to meet his husband’s pale red eyes.

“I’ll always come home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so fucking cute XD

**Author's Note:**

>  **Reminder** : The best way to see what else I have planned for fics is to follow me on Tumblr [@zacs-of-rwby](https://zacs-of-rwby.tumblr.com)! Thank you again for taking the time to read this. All feedback is appreciated! Stay safe, everyone XD


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